Confirmed with Link: Ovechkin 5x9.5m

[OV Rocks]

I'm quite sure they're also Russian, though.

Fine I will settle for Marcus and Nick Foligno style then

 

[John Price]

Inside the negotiations for Alex Ovechkin's five-year, $47.5 million deal

"Alex is the only player I've ever thought could break my record," Gretzky told Leonsis. "He loves the game. He has such a great relationship and comfort in D.C.; don't ever break that."

Leonsis promised Gretzky: "I won't."

Soon after, Leonsis saw the 30-for-30 documentary about Gretzky's trade from Edmonton to Los Angeles. "And I laugh," Leonsis said. "Because the Oilers won four Stanley Cups but the only thing the owner is known for is trading Wayne Gretzky."

As Ovechkin's 13-year deal was nearing expiration this season, Leonsis often joked during talks with other team officials: "They're not going to make a 30-for-30 about us."

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Inside the negotiations for Alex Ovechkin's five-year, $47.5 million deal

"Alex is the only player I've ever thought could break my record," Gretzky told Leonsis. "He loves the game. He has such a great relationship and comfort in D.C.; don't ever break that."

Leonsis promised Gretzky: "I won't."

Soon after, Leonsis saw the 30-for-30 documentary about Gretzky's trade from Edmonton to Los Angeles. "And I laugh," Leonsis said. "Because the Oilers won four Stanley Cups but the only thing the owner is known for is trading Wayne Gretzky."

As Ovechkin's 13-year deal was nearing expiration this season, Leonsis often joked during talks with other team officials: "They're not going to make a 30-for-30 about us."

funny, and he’s not wrong…..he would be forever known like Pocklington, the guy who traded Canada’s jewel…

Nobody wants to be the guy who traded arguably the greatest goalscorer of all time.

Good on Ted.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Soon after, Leonsis saw the 30-for-30 documentary about Gretzky's trade from Edmonton to Los Angeles. "And I laugh," Leonsis said. "Because the Oilers won four Stanley Cups but the only thing the owner is known for is trading Wayne Gretzky."

Actually, the Oilers won 5 Stanley Cups. The 5th was acquired after they traded Gretzky - who didn't really want to stay in Edmonton, who Edmonton really couldn't afford, and who never would have been the global mega-star that he was had he not gone to LA. So the two situations aren't the least bit similar. But go ahead Ted and keep telling yourself that catering to 1 player - as great as he is - is how an NHL team should be organized. But you might also ask yourself how a clown like Pocklington who you "laugh" at - and who didn't have anything close to your money or the attractions of the market you're operating in - managed to own a team in which his mega-star, Gretzky, got 4 Cups in the 10 seasons he was there, while your guy has 1 cup in his 16 seasons. Is it possible that structuring the organization around 1 guy might lead to undervaluing things like coaching experience, a solid D core, 2nd line centers - you know, the kind of things the laughable Pocklington's organization managed to provide Gretzky.

 

[Hivemind]

Yeah, I don't think he was laughing at Pocklington. He was laughing at the situation. How despite all the Cups, it's The Trade that gets a 30-for-30 and continued coverage, not their dynasty. And when the dynasty is talked about, they talk about Gretzky, Messier, Kurri, Coffey, and Sather (not Pocklington). For all the good he did for the franchise, Pocklington's name is most associated with The Trade. That's all that Leonsis was saying.

 

[g00n]

Actually, the Oilers won 5 Stanley Cups. The 5th was acquired after they traded Gretzky - who didn't really want to stay in Edmonton, who Edmonton really couldn't afford, and who never would have been the global mega-star that he was had he not gone to LA. So the two situations aren't the least bit similar. But go ahead Ted and keep telling yourself that catering to 1 player - as great as he is - is how an NHL team should be organized. But you might also ask yourself how a clown like Pocklington who you "laugh" at - and who didn't have anything close to your money or the attractions of the market you're operating in - managed to own a team in which his mega-star, Gretzky, got 4 Cups in the 10 seasons he was there, while your guy has 1 cup in his 16 seasons. Is it possible that structuring the organization around 1 guy might lead to undervaluing things like coaching experience, a solid D core, 2nd line centers - you know, the kind of things the laughable Pocklington's organization managed to provide Gretzky.

I have never heard that Gretzky wanted out first. I thought he found out the Oilers were shopping him. Maybe that caused him to seek a way out.

 

[marcel snapshot]

I have never heard that Gretzky wanted out first. I thought he found out the Oilers were shopping him. Maybe that caused him to seek a way out.

It's a bit fuzzy, because Gretzky never came out and said directly he wanted out of Edmonton. But the quotes in this piece from Wayne, Sather, and Pocklington all suggest he was ready to move onto a new phase of his life and career. Wayne Gretzky traded by Oilers to Kings 28 years ago

 

[g00n]

It's a bit fuzzy, because Gretzky never came out and said directly he wanted out of Edmonton. But the quotes in this piece from Wayne, Sather, and Pocklington all suggest he was ready to move onto a new phase of his life and career. Wayne Gretzky traded by Oilers to Kings 28 years ago

Well they all have to say that at that point, don't they?

This is what I'm talking about:

Wayne Gretzky: The Trade | 25th Anniversary of The Wayne Gretzky Trade

 

[marcel snapshot]

Well they all have to say that at that point, don't they?

This is what I'm talking about:

Wayne Gretzky: The Trade | 25th Anniversary of The Wayne Gretzky Trade

View attachment 459015

Yeah - I was kind of cherry-picking this kind of thing to buttress my Ted-screed:

"What was the most surprising thing you learned during your research?
Maybe how clear cut it really seemed to be in Gretzky’s own head that he was already of Los Angeles way before the trade happened. He was already spending so much time down there; he was comfortable there; he’d outgrown the fishbowl in Edmonton. You have that combined with the hard business realities facing (Oilers owner Peter) Pocklington and (Kings majority owner Bruce) McNall. . . .But I don’t think he cried because he was being ripped from the soil of Canada and forced to go to this evil place, the United States. I think he was darn happy to go and understood that it worked for him professionally and personally."

My point is Ted wants to contrast himself with Pocklington and thinks it's black and white that Pocklington was an idiot and he won't make that same mistake - all the while looking past the fact that Pocklington's team won 4 f***ing Cups in 10 years with the best player in the world and 1 more 2 years later without that guy, while Ted has won 1 in 16 with the best player in the world, and that Pocklington operated in a market that clearly had some constraints from a revenue generation standpoint. So maybe as the owner who only has cup to show for his 16 years with the best player, Ted shouldn't act as if he's so much smarter than the owner with 5 Cups.

 

[Hivemind]

My point is Ted wants to contrast himself with Pocklington and thinks it's black and white that Pocklington was an idiot

Ted said nothing of the sort. You're reading way too far between the lines on a ton of this.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Fair enough. I definitely have a conviction that his orientation and focus is misplaced, so I'm inclined to hunt for some confirmation of my bias. But I thought his quote undervalued what Pocklington accomplished as an owner and delivered to his team's fans.

 

[g00n]

Fair enough. I definitely have a conviction that his orientation and focus is misplaced, so I'm inclined to hunt for some confirmation of my bias. But I thought his quote undervalued what Pocklington accomplished as an owner and delivered to his team's fans.

On the contrary, I think he was highlighting it by saying Pocklington was only remembered for the trade and not the Cups, regardless of the other details.

 

[stanleycaps18]

It was also a different era in terms of drafting, player development and salaries. One really cannot compare Edmonton of the 1980's NHL to the modern landscape.

 

[Calicaps]

On the contrary, I think he was highlighting it by saying Pocklington was only remembered for the trade and not the Cups, regardless of the other details.

Agree. The point being that the trade (unjustly) eclipsed everything great he did in the eyes/minds of fans and media, that it's a cautionary tale.

 

[kicksavedave]

Agree. The point being that the trade (unjustly) eclipsed everything great he did in the eyes/minds of fans and media, that it's a cautionary tale.

I mean, the owner who delivered 4 (5 really ) Cups to Edmonton was literally hung in effigy in the town square because of that trade. They even wanted to burn the effigy but the mayor came out and talked them out of it.

Hockey fans can be over the top, eh?

Possibly the smartest thing Ted ever did was give Ovi that 13 year deal... often says he wished it was longer.

 

[txpd]

I mean, the owner who delivered 4 (5 really ) Cups to Edmonton was literally hung in effigy in the town square because of that trade. They even wanted to burn the effigy but the mayor came out and talked them out of it.

Hockey fans can be over the top, eh?

View attachment 459195

Possibly the smartest thing Ted ever did was give Ovi that 13 year deal... often says he wished it was longer.

Thats all that Ov did here. He extended the 13 year deal for 5 more effectively

 

[kicksavedave]

Thats all that Ov did here. He extended the 13 year deal for 5 more effectively

I get that, Ted used to say he wished it was longer a few years back, not anymore.

 

[txpd]

I get that, Ted used to say he wished it was longer a few years back, not anymore.

Oh. You meant Ted? Ovechkin said that exact thing last year. He said he regretted not making the contract longer.

 

[kicksavedave]

Oh. You meant Ted? Ovechkin said that exact thing last year. He said he regretted not making the contract longer.

I never heard Ovi say it but I did see where Ted said it a few times. It was one of those rare large long term contracts that ended up being a huge value over its entire lifespan. Most deals like that are tire fires after a while. Not Ovi. Russian Machine Worth the Money.

 

[txpd]

I never heard Ovi say it but I did see where Ted said it a few times. It was one of those rare large long term contracts that ended up being a huge value over its entire lifespan. Most deals like that are tire fires after a while. Not Ovi. Russian Machine Worth the Money.

I think he said it in the pre season presser for the league when asked about needing a new contract. I saw an article about those super long term contracts. They said that the only that were not cap circumvention and worked out were Ovechkin and Backstrom.

 

[YippieKaey]

Seriously. Little Ov is already scoring one timers.

Some people complain that Ovi is one-dimensional, here his playmaking skills are on display. He made that goal happen

 

[YippieKaey]

Not to sound all turncoaty but as a non-American with no geographical stakes Ovi is what got me into the Caps and im sure that´s the case for many more. In my book even seeing that weirdly fat guy just standing in the circle is more entertaining than watching 80% of the league "hustle". So 9,5 mil probably pays for itself.

 

[TJHKY]

895 is not far.

 

[Lobodomy]

I'm a good damn good prospect